Word Origin & History

distinguish 1560s, from M.Fr. distinguiss-, stem of distinguer, from L. distinguere "to separate between, separate by pricking," from dis- "apart" + -stinguere "to prick." The suffix -ish is due to the influence of many verbs in which it is the equivalent of O.Fr. -iss, ultimately from L. inchoative suffix -iscere (this is also the case in extinguish, admonish, and astonish). Related: Distinguishing.

Example Sentences for distinguish

The next step is to distinguish between pruning and training.

The seniors in especial were anxious to distinguish themselves.

Most of all we must distinguish between the different classes in the army.

It does not require much of it to distinguish an honest man from an adventurer.

Our feeling is no longer sufficiently simple and natural to distinguish the true without the help of scientific principles.

It is not so necessary to classify and name as it is to compare and distinguish.

To distinguish his disciples from each, he selected as their day of weekly celebration the sixth day, or Friday.

We could not distinguish each other's features as we stood side by side.

He, whom she still could distinguish, waved his cap in a particular way agreed on between them.